All_Pro_Bills

Another hypothetical question: Can an amateur sports writer do a better job of choosing topics of interest than a professional writing for a popular web site? Let's get the Vegas odds on that....

Good term... pseudo-information. Some might call most of it misinformation. The tricky part of all this technology is not to let it do the thinking for you. What’s wrong with America? If you haven’t, I’d suggest reading ‘The Fourth Turning’ by Strauss and Howe. Their work suggests history runs in cycles with 4 distinct periods in each cycle and we’re simply entering the 4th period when things unravel. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_18?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=the+fourth+turning&sprefix=the+fourth+turning

Assuming he's got something left picking him up would eliminate one immediate position of need. I'm thinking in terms of next season. The reality is Merriman isn't going to be thrilled to come to the Bills (and its nothing about the Bills in particular) simply because players in his situation prefer to go to a contender rather than a rebuilding environment. To win him over, Nix/Whaley/Gailey will need to convince him they're serious about building a winner over the next couple seasons. If he buys into the program and comes on board that would give off a pretty good signal of confidence from the inside to me. That said my expectation is the Bills will pass on Merriman and he'll likely land somewhere else seeing situational duty on an already good defense. Surprise me Buddy!!

The other thing most companies would do is perform some root cause analysis to identify the problem areas, document the current processes, develop a list of process improvements, define a future state, and then develop a transition plan to be executed in order to redefine the organization based on the vision of the future. Losing is just a symptom of the problem. The lack of talent is just a symptom of the problem. No franchise QB is just a symptom of the problem. Bad drafts are just a symptom of the problem. Poor free agent signings is just a symptom of the problem. The root cause (if I might jump ahead) is the management team cannot properly evaluate and acquire the necessary talent to produce a winning team on the field. So the solution is to re-train the current staff in proper player evaluation techniques (whatever they might be) or replace the management team with a group of professionals that can correctly evaluate and acquire talent. I'll wager that while Ralph recognizes the problem he will do absolutely nothing fundamental to change the organization, management personnel, reporting structures, or the business processes used at OBD. What we're likely to see is some token cosmetic gesture aimed at producing the illusion of progress while in reality nothing will change. While I started the season with a positive outlook I'm becoming more and more negative and I'm afraid we're at the mercy of blind luck rather than some well thought out strategy to achieve success on the field.

The root cause of the problem is this defense simply has no playmakers. Nobody the offense needs to account for on every play. If you're going up against the Bills defense who are you afraid of? Nobody.

A buddy of mine at work has Jets season tickets and he always says to wait until after Thanksgiving for the Jets to start falling apart. He thinks the curse started with the fake Marino spike (if anybody remembers that play) many seasons ago. Rather than spike the ball to stop the clock him faked the spike and threw a quick out to the WR (Clayton or Duper I believe but might be wrong) just past the endzone pilon to win the game. Otherwise I could care less what the Jets do (I think Joe Namath said this also to Suzy Colbert when he was dead drunk on the side lines on MNF) because we've got our own problems to worry about.

I've had similar thoughts about Maybin. If the Bills were playing a typical 3-4 I can see the value in putting him out on the field. The LB's are the weakest link of this defense. Outside of Poz (who constantly misreads or takes a couple steps the wrong way) making some tackles 8 yards down field I really didn't notice any of the other's doing anything notable especially in pass coverage where they appear to run around aimlessly in the secondary (they remind me of the movie Stripes when Bill Murray's company is wandering out of the woods at the obstacle course!). IMO, he came out of college too soon but listened to his advisors (Arington, etc.) about going for the big money and then had the balls to hold and and then contribute zippo. That should have been a humbling learning experience but I suspect the guy's still very immature, listening to the wrong people, and the big money doesn't help keep the dude hungry for success. Physically he wasn't and still isn't capable of handling NFL caliber offensive lines as a full time player. But its inconceivable that a team that generates no pass rush and possesses no linebacker that can cover any TE or RB, cannot identify a dozen or so situations during the game where his speed and quickness would be an asset to a defense that is so dysfuntional. Knowing our luck, I can see the Bills giving up on the guy while he physically and mentally matures and gets picked up by a team that employs a sophisticated 3-4 where he somewhat excells.

+1 Nix/Whaley need to replace Modrak with their own choice for the job while the college season is still in session. Being the common link to so many ineffective drafts logically leads to the conclusion that he's had a major hand in draft selections, whether directly or indirectly by 'filtering' information to the final decision makers. The sad truth is that for the last 10 years we'd have been better off picking from Kipper's best available list.

In the Jets game the D was just physicially beaten no and's, if's, or but's. In the Jags game this week I saw more mental lapses and players either out of position, taking the wrong angles, running themselves out of the play, over pursuing, etc. How many times did Jacksonville run the reverse play for 20+ yards? Each time the DE and OL on that side of the field ran themselves out of position instead of maintaining their gap and holding the edge. What is this defense anyway, a 4-3, a 3-4, what is the DC's schemes and what is he calling out there? IMO, we've got an inexperienced DC with a steep learning curve trying to install a scheme with players that are totally unfamilar with it. At this point I'm left wondering if the Bills version of the 3-4 is named after the number of points they intend to allow vs. any kind of player configuration. For all intents and purposes this is the same group of players as last year and I see a serious coaching issue here. As for the original thread topic I thought Troup played well considering it was his first experience with extended playing time....

Here's a thought to ponder over (add this to the end of the thread title) - 'before I do?'. That means not being around for the hoped for resurgence under new ownership.

You're right about the Bills being small and weak. But rounds 2 thru 7 produced a host of defensive players and a couple OT's (one hurt, one cut) and yet even on a team that has so many weaknesses none of them have logged any meaningful playing time. The league is full of players that were not drafted in the 1st round. That just means the players you've drafted aren't any better than the one's you're trying to replace. So rather than rebuilding you're stuck at the bottom of the standings forever.

If I might, I'd like to expand the draft strategy point and call it 'player acquisition'. Because there are two other aspects to acquiring players, professional free agents and college free agents. Of the Bills pro free agent pickups I'd classify the Edwards signing as solid. Good, productive player, nothing flashy but does his job. That's about it though. D. Nelson looks like a undrafted gem for this team so a hit there. I have no problem with the Spiller pick. You need playmakers on both sides of the ball and he's definitely a guy that can fill that role. On the defense, who do we have you'd call a playmaker? Outside of Byrd's sensational rookie season more or less nobody. But rounds 2-7 of this year's draft produced no starters and outside of Troup nobody contributing at all. Granted there's some injuries. But if you're strategy is to trim 'dead wood' and replace them with players you acquire through the draft (and free agency) how can you do that when the players you drafted cannot beat out incumbents on the roster? Most of whom aren't getting the job done? If you're a playoff contender then breaking into the starting lineup might be tough for most rookies. But if you're team is a cellar dweller what's the implication to that?

Your reponse is dead-on with my view on the subject. I'll go out on a limb and say that Nix and Gailey want to win, that losing leaves a foul taste in their mouths. They are probably more disgusted than most of us here. However, I can't honestly say I believe that desire trickles down from ownership to the real power brokers in the Bills organization. Namely, the finance guys. Unfortunately, for Nix and Gailey they work in an environment that puts constaints on their ability to do their jobs that other members of their profession in the league do not have to deal with in managing and coaching their respective teams. All the talk about high-profile candidates not wanted to come to Buffalo has less to do with the city and more to do with the organization. In the end, Sullivan's flaming of Nix and Gailey only distracts attention from the real questions that need to be asked and answered, by ownership. Simply, is winning important and are you going to do all that it takes to get back to the Championship game? Did you really hire the most competent GM and coach or where you just unwilling to meet the market price for the top candidates? I really don't get Ralph. If it is was me and I had the financial capacity and the desire to win the big one before I checked out I'd do everything possible. When your dead what does it matter if you die with $800 million or $780 million? You're still dead. Appologize for getting a bit off topic.

To this point, only one 2010 draft selection has made any significant contribution. The others are either injured, waived, or riding the bench so I see little justification for faith vs. worry.

Sullivan's column aside, it simply appears the front office doesn't have any kind of master plan and are making decisions on the fly vs. as part of a well thought out consistent strategy. And a team that philosophizes about building through the draft (Spiller, Troup, Carrington, Easley, Wang, Moats, Batten, Brown, Calloway) but gets close to zero (Spiller the exception) out of their draft class is in trouble. Frankly, I don't want or need an explanation of anything. But what I do want is competency. Swing and a miss on that one so far from where I sit. JMHO

Unless there's some specific stipulation in the will (which none of us are privy too), ownership of the team would transfer to the spouse of the deceased. There is no estate tax in this case. However, it's been stated that Mary Wilson has no desire to run the team once her husband has passed on. So, we need to assume the team would be put up for sale. I'm no accountant but I don't see the financial advantage of the surviving spouse selling. Sell the team for $800 million and you pay a capital gain tax on the sale. Let's say 20%, so you net $640 million. Then when you pass on the net procedes of the $640 million sale are subject to an estate tax. Why cough up an extra $100 million or so to incure two taxable events? For somebody many label as 'cheap' this seems incomprehensible even in death. The bidding process would involve many parties, ownership, bidders, politicians, the league. Just how those dynamics play out is the question but I don't think we should automatically assume the team will be sold to the highest bidder and relocated. I also heard Trump is part of Kelly's group and while I think the guy's a shameless self-promoter his giant ego guarantees that winning would be a priority. Which is what we need.

The what comes first the franchise QB or a solid O-line is a debate without a correct answer. It has been done both ways with success and with failure. If you think Luck, Mallet, or Locker is that guy then you take him. But you better be right or else you've set yourself back another 3 years. The problem with the Bills front office is not with the 'plan'. Every team pretty much has the same plan. Nobody goes into the draft or free agency planning to fail. The question isn't the plan but their ability to execute it. Based on recent draft and free agent pickups by the various regimes during this decade its difficult for me, being a relative optimist, to have any confidence that all of a sudden the Bills are going to start hitting on their draft picks and bring in impact free agents. And while I like Spiller, look at the first Nix/Gailey draft. Who is contributing, who is starting? Meanwhile other teams, most importantly, those in our division are able to identify, draft, and plug in a couple rookies and put more and more distance between the Bills and themselves. What was it Buddy said? 'Show me the baby'.

The other factor in this trade, one more off the field indiscretion and it's a one year suspension. When, not if, is the question to that.

No argument with what you're stating but in general, teams have relocated for either stadium/facility issues, attendance problems, or both; not explicitly because they could generate more revenue elsewhere. At present, the Bills have neither a stadium or attendance issue. Surely the Houston market is much larger than Nashville yet the Oiler moved to Tenn and morphed into the Titans. Maybe someone else recalls, but why did the Oilers move out of the 4th or 5th largest US market to much smaller Nashville?

Unfortunately, this is rebuilding from rock bottom in progress. Years of poor drafting, lucrative contracts to sub-par free agents, bad coaching, and poor front office management got us to where we stand today. This is year one of what is probably three. My optimistic side tells me they should be more competitive in the second half of the season. Learning a new system and then actually executing it takes time. If suffering through a season like this is what it takes to become competitive once again then as a fan I'm willing to suffer through it. No doubt we're looking at a top 5 choice in '11. My concern at this point is this year's draft class. What do we have here? Spiller seems to be getting less and less work each week, along with Troupe. Carrington hasn't even seen the field unless I missed him yesterday. Moats? Wang hurt still. And throw in Maybin from last year. Play these guys. You are losing anyway and I presume they are going to be part of the future. One other note off topic with appologies.... Please no crying the blues talk from management about the poor old small market Bills. You just way overpaid at $24 million over 4 years to a player that wouldn't start on any other team in the league. Obviously they've got money to waste because this is definitely a waste.

That statement is true because the team is losing with no shot at the playoffs or the Super Bowl. Players will want to come to the Bills when, and only when, the team is winning. Given a choice, with money just about equal, a free agent veteran will choose a contender over a rebuilding situation every time.

I was pulling for Edwards but he lost me at the end of the Miami game where he had 7 opportunities (3 from the 1, and 4 from the 20) to complete a pass, get a couple first downs, and give the team a chance (however remote it was) to tie the game. What did he do? Throw the ball away, a couple check down and short throw attempts. 4th and 10. Throw the damn ball down the field. It gets intercepted? So what, you lose anyway. You think the players in the offensive huddle had any confidence or respect for Trent after that event? We know the O-line is a deficiency but I'll wager you put any NFL quarterback behind a solid line and he'll perform effectively. But the fact is the QB doesn't always get to play under ideal conditions and it's those plays under pressure and how you act and re-act that generally determine the outcome of a game. The bottom line, 'this dog just won't hunt'. IMO, the timing can be questioned but the move was the right move.

Right on..... I’m not happy with the first 3 weeks of the season, and being out of town I’m already hearing crap from fans of other teams, but I seriously doubt there was any expectation with ownership and management that this team was capable a winning record this season. And after one draft and free agency period I can’t see how that is enough to evaluate Nix’s 1 year tenure as a failure. After a decade of muddling around .500 this franchise needs to hit ‘rock bottom’ and build from there. The truth is this team needs rebuilding, not reloading. IMO, Buddy Nix is going to spend 3 years rebuilding this team and then hand over control to Doug Whaley. Whaley was brought into the Asst. GM position with the understanding that a succession plan is in place here. In the meantime, we the fans are going to suffer through this season. The 3-4 defense transition is going to be painful because most players are unfamiliar with their roles and responsibilities, have very little experience with it, and in some cases are not suited for playing the positions they’re asked to play. And along with a new DC stepping into the coordinators role for the first time, the only way to learn, is to do. Experience is the best teacher it is said. We know the deficiencies in the offense, upgrade to QB, O-line, somebody to step up into the #2 receiver role. Some of this is going to be fixed through experience, the rest through the next couple drafts and free agency periods. I understand the concern because we've been down this road too many times this decade but I also believe for the first time in a long time that we've got a GM and coach who know what they're doing....

However bad it seems now (and I think it is bad) this team needed to hit rock-bottom before things could improve. All those 7-9, close to .500 seasons, were really a mirage. This team has drafted poorly (willing to give the new regime a pass on this year's class) and team derived little value out of most of the high-priced FA signings this century. I empathize with you about the emotional detachment after just two weeks. After what might have been the 6th sack last Sunday, I muttered something to the effect 'you've got to be kidding me, what kind of block was that', then went outside and proceeded to clean the bugs and road crap off the bumper of my car That's my rock-bottom - I'd rather clean dead bugs than watch the Bills. IMO - this team is a 3 year project. Year 1 - bottom out. Year 2 - pick up starter-worthy QB and fortify the lines, offense and defense. Year 3 - tactical draft, FA pick ups to fill in the missing pieces and then compete for the division and playoffs.

We'll see some marginal improvement in the offense with Fitzpatrick at QB. From past performance he has a couple things on Edwards right now. For starters, better recognition of the play and defenses along a willingness to throw downfield into coverage vs. always looking to the check-down. Another plus, the intelligence to know his offensive line sucks vs. playing like the QB actually has enough time to throw on most plays. Is Fitz the answer here? No, but the real question isn't who's the QB, it's when does this team get NFL caliber OT's.